The Dixie Hummingbirds, Not the Chicks

Subject: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Not the Chicks
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 13 May 02 - 09:46 AM

Last night my gospel quartet sang on the same bill as the Dixie Hummingbirds. What a great honor! You think the Stones have been around for a long time? The Dixie Hummingbirds are celebrating their 74th Anniversary! Ira Tucker, the lead singer has been in the group the longest. He's probably in his mid-80's now, and walks a little hunched over, but when he starts to sing he still has the pwoer to peel the paint off the walls. If you have no idea who the Dixie Hummingbirds are, you're probably not even reading this, but in case you are, you might have heard Paul Simon's recording of Loves Me Like A Rock. The Hummingbirds are the gospel group that backs him on the song, and they've recorded it themselves, with Ira Tucker singing the lead. The group is still basically a quartet and hasn't made any real concessions to all of the commercialization of gospel music you hear on television. They still sing four part harmony, even though there were six men in the group last night, and three more are seriously ill and couldn't come. The Hummingbirds, like many old black gospel groups, can get you up and dancing, and they surely did last night.

We've all heard stories of mythic musicians playing for small audiences. Fifteen years or so ago, a friend of mine went to hear Bill Monroe at what seemed to be near the peek of his popularity, and there were only about thirty people at the concert. Last night, there were maybe fifty people in a school auditorium that seats about 600. The Hummingbirds three most recent albums are all homemade... as modest and unassuming as the most casual Mudcatter album. This, from a group who has helped define black gospel quartet music for over 70 years. And while they retain the old gospel sound, they are anything but "old," in spirit. If you read this, InOBU, they even did a very moving song about the bravery of the firefighters and policemen at Ground Zero.

These days, here in Amurican, black gospel has become commercially viable. At least a form of black gospel. Mostly Mass Choirs and soloists with the most ornate singing style and every vocal trick in the book to get people clapping. The Hummingbirds don't use any tricks... any notes held for two minutes until everyone applauds the feat. No calling out to the audience to tell the to "put their hands together" and clap. No dance routines to rival the Temptations. Just powerful, emotional, moving singing.

Back in the sixties, I remember the excitement of hearing people like Mississippi John Hurt, Jesse Fuller, Lightnin' Hopkins, Reverend Gary Davis who were the foundations of the blues. It was an exciting time and a rare privilege to hear them. Last night, I felt like I was back in the 60's. Even if you're not a believer, go hear the Hummingbirds if you get the chance..

Jerry

Subject: RE: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Not the Chicks
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 13 May 02 - 09:52 AM

Jerry,

WOW! I am truly impressed.

The Hummingbirds always played the Sunday Morning concert at the Brandywine Mountain Music Convention (now defunct). No matter how sleep deprived I was after jamming into the wee hours of Sunday morning, I always staggered down to the stage to hear them.

Subject: RE: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Not the Chicks
From: MarkS
Date: 13 May 02 - 10:34 AM

Heard the Hummingbirds once - I think it was at the Philadelphia Folk Festival years ago. What a great group.

Subject: RE: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Not the Chicks
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 13 May 02 - 10:44 AM

Recently Jerry Rasmussen sent me a couple of Gospel CD's with the Dixie Hummingbirds, Swan Silvertones, Staples Singers, Five Blind Boys, etc on them. I loved them. The next day I took them down to my wife's 75 year old aunt,physically frail and still shocked by the death of her husband a short while ago. She had nursed him through long years of a degenerative disease. Later that day she was on the phone telling me through tears of joy how much the music had lifted her spirits and cheered her soul. There is powerful magic in music.

Subject: RE: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Not the Chicks
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 May 02 - 10:49 AM

I've been saying that old black gospel (called sometimes "roots" black gospel) will be the next big wave, like O Brother's influence is cresting now. I think we are seeing the front edge of it the swell.

The old quartet style keeps cropping up at various other things, such as our state legislature commemorating something or other!

Learn the songs now and get out there on the edge of that wave!

Lot of them are based in the spirituals too, have a look!

Lots to hear at www.dovesong.com.

~Susan

Subject: RE: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Not the Chicks
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 May 02 - 01:09 PM

Click here to get to the Dixie Hummingbirds Website. If your computer is set up for it, you'll hear a bit of their music in the background. I think my favorite group of this genre is the Fairfield Four, but the Dixie Hummingbirds are darn good.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Not the Chicks
From: Fortunato
Date: 13 May 02 - 01:45 PM

Sounds like a great experience, Jerry. I look forward to hearing your own Gospel Messengers at your concert here at the Washington Ethical Society for the FSGW June 15th program. (Thanks to the excellent talents of our own KathWestra, who will be sorely missed in her office as program chair).

Subject: RE: The Dixie Hummingbirds, Not the Chicks
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 13 May 02 - 01:49 PM

Hi, Joe: Yes, the Fairfield Four are my favorite group, although I love the Swan Silvertones and the Harmonizing Four. Unfortunately, the lead singer of the Fairfield Four died fairly recently, and they don't have anyone as good to replace him. When you do a black gospel CD and have Elvis Costello sing the lead, you know you're hurting. I had the great pleasure of hearing the Fairfield Four about ten years ago when they had their strongest lineup, even though they go back almost sixty years..

Jerry